


Interactive History

by Ringshadow



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen, Professor Phil Coulson, Some Swearing, interesting history, this is foam-wrapped Sparta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-15
Packaged: 2018-01-01 14:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1045045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ringshadow/pseuds/Ringshadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>University AU drabble regarding Professor Coulson and his 'different' method in teaching history.</p><p>“No sense in waiting about. This is Interactive History One, Swords and Stuff. If you’re looking for Interactive History Two, Guns and Things, that is tomorrow. Anyone?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interactive History

The classroom is in the university’s oldest building, mildly tiered and heavily decorated. Only one professor used it, and Tony Stark had had to bribe his way in to make sure he and his friends could all get a slot into the first of two classes. Which was almost hilarious because these were history classes, and not even the basic ones. The requirement to make the first class is that you had to have had taken a history or government class previously.

 

But Tony didn’t even bother wondering what the deal was. The class had filled in under a minute when registration had opened and there was a waiting list if anyone dropped in the first week. The class capped at forty and was a two hour class with a two hour lab period. The room was packed, everyone was chattering. He and his usual band of friends were sitting at the back.

 

At exactly one in the afternoon the professor strolled in,  closing the door behind him and logging into the computer on the desk, remoting the projector on before walking around to sit on the front edge of his desk, folding his hands in his lap and looking around. “Well. Here we are.”

 

The class quieted, college students craning their necks to see him.

 

“Let’s not kid ourselves, you’re all here because you saw my previous classes screaming about Sparta and beating each other with foam swords in the courtyard.” He smirked, the curl of his lips increasing when the class only laughed sheepishly. “Yeah that’s what I thought.” He leaned back and started a power point presentation, pulling it up. “No sense in waiting about. This is Interactive History One, Swords and Stuff. If you’re looking for Interactive History Two, Guns and Things, that is tomorrow. Anyone?”

 

No one moved, beyond looking at the syllabi that were already on the desks.

 

“Everyone in the right place? Okay. My name is Phil Coulson.” He started cuing the presentation rapid fire, clearly a routine. “I’m a history professor, specifically the history of war around the world if I had to name a particular study. I was an Army Ranger before this so yes I’ve done all sorts of things I probably shouldn’t talk about.” A picture flicked by of Phil sitting with roughly half a dozen mostly nude women at Carnaval, to startled laughter from the crowd. “That is quite enough of that. Now, this is a history class, but I have a slightly different philosophy of instruction.”

 

He looked around the classroom. “If I sat up here and droned about a topic and had you going through textbooks, none of you would care. I mean, what’s history but a bunch of dead people that probably fucked up, right?” His cussing got another wave of startled laughter and he smirked again. “I just told you, I was an Army Ranger and let me assure you I can swear in languages you won’t recognize but for the purpose of this class I will be sticking to fuckin’ English and if you don’t like it, there’s the door, there’s a line of people who will fight in jello to get your position.”

 

No one moved, though everyone was clearly listening.

 

“I had your curiosity and now I have your attention!” He clapped his hands together. “So. I could stand up here. Drone for class after class and let you tune me out and just write down what you think is important, and literally pick up just enough pass whatever tests I churn out. Leave you no more caring than when you came in, because everything I droned about is forgotten the moment you touch a beer the night of finals.” He swept the class with his eyes. “Or I could do something a bit more interesting, which is a philosophy that has gained me some infamy on campus.”

 

He stood, folding his hands behind his back in parade rest. “This is not a textbook based class. I didn’t even list a book, you’ll note, besides an older history book I’m sure you all picked up used on the cheap. Appreciate that, it’s only for reference material and it’s a very good book. Also a good paperweight and something to bludgeon your roommate with. This is a participatory class. Your grade is not based on paper based assignments, you will not be writing term papers. You will be expected to pick a side and join in. You will be expected to ask questions and apply critical thinking. You cannot shake and bake this class. There are no Cliff’s Notes, there are no shortcuts. Problems?”

 

There was a pause then Bruce, who was sitting by Tony, put his hand up slowly.

 

Phil saw this and pointed. “You at the back.”

 

“Why is there a lab scheduled for after the final that is titled ‘Everything changed when the fire nation attacked’?” Bruce said, leaning to look at him down one of the walkways. His observation was met with the shuffle of paper as everyone flipped to the back of the syllabus.

 

“Someone’s reading ahead.” Phil tutted. “Now that we’ve discussed what this class is not, let’s talk about what this class is. This is a world history class, but we’re not viewing this through the myopic vision of American wars. We’re going to talk about major battles from the Greeks forward, and the weaponry that were game changers. You’ll notice this class is titled Swords and Stuff. What that means is, we will not be getting into any gun-based wars which means we’ll carry into some of the 1800s at most. The only guns we’ll be discussing are black powder based. We are going to be discussing how war, and new weapons, drove change around the world and what those battles mean to us to this day. Many of these fights have been romanticized through movies, I’m going to give you the right of it as far as history knows and talk about worldwide impact. History is not one country, it’s all countries, the world is reactive and is even more so now.” He’s moving while talking now, speaking with his hands and watching them watch him.

 

“I cannot make you love history. But I can send you out of this class having actually experienced a fraction of it and taken some lessons and actually have memories that’ll stick. So we’re going to fight these battles on small scale. I’m going to teach you about the weapons used in Greece, and Rome, and during lab periods you’re going to assemble your own foam weaponry and armor and we are going to do battle on the field of honor in scenarios of my choosing. There are rules to engagement and if you are caught knowingly and willingly breaking those rules, it is an automatic flunk. We will fight for Sparta, we will be the last samurai, we will storm the castles. I will show you how to throw javelins, shoot bows and we will answer the all-important question of ninjas or pirates?” This was met with another wave of laughter. “And at the end, after the class is done and finals are done, we are having one last battle. This one will be different because students who have previously attended the class will join up and battle if they so desire. Your choice in particular weapon and armament will determine your Nation. Attendance is not mandatory but is encouraged. Last year, attendance was over two hundred students. We’ll get into that more later, obviously, as we get closer to the end of the term.”

 

Phil stepped behind his desk and came up with a boffer gladius, complete with a foam pommel, and pointed it at the class, sweeping it to gesture at everyone. “Do I have your swords and shields, students?” There was a pause then the class broke into applause, laughter rising, so he smiled and put the fake weapon on his shoulder. “Any questions?”

 

“So we fail if we cheat in the fights?” One student at the front asked.

 

“These are fake fights and I can’t have you actually injuring each other. It’s one thing to swing and accidently catch someone to the face and apologize. If you knowingly go for someone in a way to hurt, you’re flunking. There was one particularly malicious moron who weighted his sword, two terms ago.” Phil shook his head wearily. “The university is only going to allow me to continue the fun stuff if we can continue to not injure people so frankly if you’re caught trying to do so I will feed you to the angry student body that seems rather fond of my teaching style. You can also of course fail the tests, which are written and essay based but they’ll be critical thinking exercises based on what you’ve learned and frankly, if you can bullshit me well enough I’ll probably pass you. I respect the ability to shovel bullshit well, it’s a life skill.”

 

Tony had to scoff and put up his hand. “How about extra credit?”

 

“Ah, yes. This might be important to you all as being this is a participatory class, your grade can slouch if you miss if you’re sick. That can be negated if you bring in a doctor’s note by the way. If you want extra credit, the easiest way is to put some effort into your arms and armor.” He pointed the sword sideways at a dummy wearing samurai armor made entirely out of cut-down red solo cups. “That young lady went above and beyond the call of duty. It doesn’t have to be authentic materials, just fit the general aesthetic and be all of your work. Feel free to improvise. Last term a gentleman borrowed his little sister’s bedazzle kit and reported for duty as the Knight of Fabulousness, I shit you not. Any other questions for now?” He looked around and nodded. “Let’s get started.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is a spur of the moment drabble and I'm not sure what to do with it, but I like it enough to throw it on here to share.


End file.
